How
to photograph Wildlife
by Roberta Hochreiter
To get good shots of animals and birds, you will have to learn
to be quick in setting up and framing your shots. Waiting
until you get out in the wilderness to learn these tricks
is not a good idea. What I found to be very helpful was practicing
on my cats and on birds in my yard or local parks. You learn
to anticipate their behavior and react fast to get the good
shots. Here are some tips on how to get the best shots of
animals and birds in the wild.
Practice taking shots of moving targets. Learning how to pan
moving targets will allow you to take dramatic photographs
with a sense of speed.
Keep your camera handy and set up for unexpected encounters.
Make sure you have fully charged camera batteries and plenty
of film or memory.
Before you go into an area, read up on what kinds of animals
and birds are commonly found there. Learn all you can about
these animals and birds. This will help you know where to
look to find them and what kinds of behavior to expect.
Learn to walk and move quietly and practice freezing your
position so that your presence is not startling or threatening
to the animal.
Learn to be observant of everything around you using all your
senses. With a little practice, you will gain the ability
to be aware of small movements, unusual colors or sounds,
even smells that can tip you off to the presence of an animal
or bird even when they are well camouflaged. I cannot believe
how many times I've watched people walk right by wildlife
without noticing them. Hiking with an awareness of your surroundings
enhances your experience immeasurably.
In the wild, telephoto lenses are basically a must. This brings
you in a little closer without scaring the animals. The use
of a tripod is not always mandatory, if you have enough light
you will be able to shoot at a fast shutter speed to eliminate
shake. Some telephoto lens have vibration reduction technology
but are considerably more expensive.
When you photograph animals and birds, make sure the focus
is sharpest on their eyes.
Shoot small animals from a lower angle.
The best times of the day for viewing and photographing wildlife
are early in the mornings and just before dark. This is when
wildlife is usually most active and the light is the most
dramatic.
Try to keep the sun at your back so that the light falls directly
on your subject.
Using all these tips will help you improve your nature photography.
The very most important thing is practice, practice, practice
and don't forget to enjoy yourself!
Roberta Hochreiter lives in the Pacific Northwest in Washington
state and is an avid photographer, hiker and backpacker with
5 years experience.
http://www.womengophoto.com
Roberta Hochreiter is an avid photographer, hiker and backpacker
with 5 years experience in nature photography. This article
gives new photographers advice on how to chose photographic
equipment that is lightweight and portable. For more information
please to to http://www.womengophoto.com
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